mini14 tough or not?

[95cougar]

In my limited experience the Mini 14 is a rugged, reliable rifle. I have a 580 series stainless ranch rifle that I bought used (unknown round count). From the get-go, it has been nothing but utterly reliable with any type of ammunition I have thrown at it (Tula FMJ, Silver Bear JHP, Wolf FMJ, WWB FMJ, Fiocchi FMJ) using Ruger magazines. Specifically, I have used it in several shooting sessions whereby I went through 350+ rounds of steel case ammo in the period of an hour. Thus far no breakages or noticeable wear to speak of.

Granted I am not a service member or LEO that really puts the rifle through its paces in harsh field conditions, but this rifle has earned my respect more than any other rifle I own. This may not mean much, but as a reference, the same steel case ammo (Tula) that I routinely run through the Mini has severely jammed two different AR15s (Double Star and EA, each with chrome-lined bores/chambers and 5.56 barrels), and a Daewoo DR200 (also with a chrome-lined bore/chamber in 5.56).

Thus far no breakages or wear to speak of with the rifle.

YMMV.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

minis look cool, but anyone thinking of getting one..........just go all out and get a good AR.

I've had both and would choose another Mini before I would buy another AR.

 

[frankiestoys]

Everytime the Mini 14 comes up someone's got to open one up!

 

[jimmyraythomason]

The Mini-14 isn't a military rifle and hasn't passed thru acceptance trials anywhere that I know of. BSW

The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco has an exhibit of firearms issued to rangers and a Mini-14 is include in that display. Though not a military organization ,I think they know a thing or two about fighting weapons.

 

[briansmithwins]

The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco has an exhibit of firearms issued to rangers and a Mini-14 is include in that display. Though not a military organization ,I think they know a thing or two about fighting weapons.

Or their weapons are bought by bureaucrats that purchase the product that meets the spec for the lowest bid, which is why prison guards have them.

BSW

 

[HorseSoldier]

And/or bureaucrats who were worried about the public getting all worked up about law enforcement officers toting around "army guns" and evil black rifles such. That has changed a lot (most places) in the past decade or so, but it was a very big consideration earlier than that.

 

[ulfrik]

i think newyork swat used mini14s back in the day?

for 750$ you would hope the mini14 is a rugged and reliable rifle.
if they up the price any more , then theres no reason not to buy a ar15 insead.

how good is rugers new gas piston ar15? what makes it cost 500$ more than the average ar15?

 

[WardenWolf]

In my honest opinion, I'd say go for a 16" Saiga .223 or 7.62x39 over a Mini-14. It's AK-based, and there's far more accessories available for it than the Mini-14. You'll get comparable accuracy, and better reliability at a lower cost. It just gives you so many better options. For the cost of a basic Mini-14, you can have a Saiga configured exactly how you want it. You can even have a fully loaded Arsenal SGL-21, which is a Saiga-based AK-47 configuration and a VERY fine rifle. They're extremely lightweight, handle great, and can accept all standard AK accessories to allow you to cheaply and easily accessorize it however you want.

As for Ruger's AR-15, well, the reason it costs so much is it's fully loaded as sold. Lots of people have said it's a fairly good deal for all you get with it. It comes with many accessories and features that you'd normally pay hundreds of dollars extra for. So rather than buying the base gun and spending tons of money to customize it, the Ruger is a complete unit.

 

[ThomasT]

Or their weapons are bought by bureaucrats that purchase the product that meets the spec for the lowest bid, which is why prison guards have them.

From what I remember the AR was bought for the very same reasons. It wasn't wanted by the generals of the day because of its small caliber. The best thing about the AR was all the money thrown at it to make it work. The mini never had that kind of benefit from the government. It didn't need it either.

Anyway no matter how you spin it I still prefer my mini over the AR. It does everything I want a fast firing 223 rifle to do. Plus it puts every slow fired round into a 3" circle with open sights at a hundred yards. And it doesn't matter if its the first 3 rounds or the 33rd round from a hot barrel.

 

[philobeddoe]

I enjoy my Mini 14, but I shoot my SKS much much more.

 

[MCMXI]

I bought a used Mini-14 about 15 years ago, a stainless non-ranch version, and put a few thousand rounds through it without a single issue. A few years later I bought a ranch version that has also been 100% reliable over several thousand factory rounds and reloads. My experience with them is that they just work ... all the time. They're light, compact, weather resistant (stainless models), easy to scope (ranch models), and accurate enough. I like 'em and they're tough little bastards too.

 

[ThunderDownUnder]

Well I've had one for 13 years now, I clean it when I get the time (1 every 3 months). Accuracy is not exatley match grade, but it certainly isn't smoothbore. An excellent pigging rifle from 25 - 125 metres.

 

[SpaceFrank]

I am not a marksman, nor do I subject my Mini-14 to military-level usage. That being said, it has always performed flawlessly in the 100-200 round sessions I've spent with it, usually between periods of negligible cleaning or maintenance before I wised up and started taking care of it, because proper maintenance is a good idea regardless of durability. It will shoot all day with the same steel-cased Russian ammo that I have seen repeatedly fail to cycle a friend's Bushmaster. Nothing against ARs, of course. I will undoubtedly buy one some day.

Mine is an early 181-series, with the "spaghetti barrel" often derided by AR fanboys. I would not mount a high-powered scope to this weapon, but with a little love you can easily get 2MOA even out of these models. There are plenty of people on the PerfectUnion boards who have done so. As previously stated, the newer, heavier-barrel 58X-series Minis are supposed to be much more accurate out of the box.

It is louder and heavier than almost any AR, and it is harder, although far from impossible, to mount many accessories. However, you can also beat a horse to death with it and then keep firing, something that I wouldn't say about most ARs. IMHO, the Mini vs. AR argument is very similar to the AK vs. AR argument. The Mini is the rifle you throw behind the seat of your truck and forget about, and the AR is the rifle you accessorize to your exact needs and then take care of it.

I almost forgot the magazine issue. Minis are finicky with aftermarket magazines. There are some that work and some that suck. Some work only with older models but not with newer ones, or vice-versa. The only ones that will always work without fail are the Ruger factory magazines, the 30-rd types of which usually run 2-3 times the cost of a decent 30-rd AR mag. So that's definitely a mark against the Mini.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Or their weapons are bought by bureaucrats that purchase the product that meets the spec for the lowest bid, which is why prison guards have them.

So...the Army gets to choose their weapons but the Texas Rangers do not? I doubt that.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

For what 99% of us on this forum do, or have done, I think the Mini-14 would do just fine. A lot of us are gun snobs (yes, I am TOO) and THINK we need expensive or mud-worthy battle guns, but the truth be told, most any quality made gun would do the job. There was a day when the Mini was far less expensive (30-40%) than an AR. I think Ruger closed the gap a little, so the deal/value aspect isn't as good as it was, but maybe the rifles ARE better now. Would a Mini-14 have held up to the 6 years of service wear and tear that I put on an M16 in the Army? I think so. Would a Mini have held up to all the rigors of range work, plinking, and hunting I have done with all bolt and semi's combined in my civilian life? Probably. Worrying about anything more than that is superfluous. What do I have now? Several AK's, M1 Carbine, and M1 Garand. I don't really like Mini-14's, because I am a gun snob, not because they are bad.

 

[Art Eatman]

"For what 99% of us on this forum do, or have done, I think the Mini-14 would do just fine."

Sums it up pretty good. Only a very low percentage of us ever have to crawl around in mud or sand. Or worry about more than a very few shots at any one time.

Just a personal opinion, but for the common sort of civilian use for plinking, hunting or self-defense, there's hardly a nickel's worth of difference among ARs, Minis, AK/SKS variants or whatever. It's mostly Internet nit-picking.

One place where the Mini is infinitely superior to the AR: I don't advise butt-stroking some Bad Guy with your AR if you wish it to continue to function.

 

[CSA 357]

the mini 14 is a great rifle! i have a ss gb and 2 ar 15s a dpms and a bushmaster the mini 14 is my house gun along with a winchester mod 12, i like the ars too but if i need it i grab the gb!

 

[KBintheSLC]

I can't imagine the Mini being less rugged/durable than an M16. If anything, it is less accurate. But in the toughness realm, the Mini is about as tough as they come... it is sort of like America's answer to the AK. I have a 195-series stainless Ranch Rifle that I have had since the late 90's. Lots of cheap com-bloc steel-cased ammo through it with no breakages. It still sports all of the original parts.

The groups are not pretty, but inside of 200 yards it is a practical killer.

how good is rugers new gas piston ar15? what makes it cost 500$ more than the average ar15?

Piston driven, 3 p-mags, carry handle, chrome'd bolt, and nice iron sights... that would run at least $500.

 

[dougw47]

If I had one, I'd shoot it. I shoot my other rugers and they do just fine.

 

[buzzg]

Gotta agree with niteowl. I got mine new in the box by trading off a Series 80 Colt 1911 that I never used. The one I have is a 581- S/N so I didn't have to go through all the misery of the older ones. At 100 with a 'scope it shoots 1 to 1.5 inch groups when I do my part. When I'm in the woods with it I don't drag it behind me by the barrel, so I haven't had any issues with dirt, dust, mud etc. It's a fun gun and does the job.

On magazines, buy Ruger only. The money you save on other mfg's. mags is an illusion. I tried a few and they're crap.

 

[rodinal220]

Blew the extractor on my blue 180 series mini.Gas piston/barrel clamp assembly loosens quite often and turns weapon into single shot.

 

[Jeff F]

I can't imagine the Mini being less rugged/durable than an M16. If anything, it is less accurate. But in the toughness realm, the Mini is about as tough as they come... it is sort of like America's answer to the AK. I have a 195-series stainless Ranch Rifle that I have had since the late 90's. Lots of cheap com-bloc steel-cased ammo through it with no breakages. It still sports all of the original parts.

Well said.

Only a very low percentage of us ever have to crawl around in mud or sand. Or worry about more than a very few shots at any one time.

If I did have to crawl around in mud or sand the Mini 14 is the rifle I would want to do it with. I have never seen one not run unless it was a mag related issue. I can't say the same for the AR.

 

[cacop]

I remember reading somewhere that NYPD ESU put 145,000 rounds through some of their ACC556 versions of the Mini over the years. Now they have M4s.

Realistically the Mini will do fine for most people buying it. If you want a combat weapon to mount optics one yous are probably better off buying an AR. If you want great accuracy from a .223 then buy a Remington or Savage. If you want a general plinker than can double as a defence weapon then a Mini will work just fine. Even a LEA would dod fine with a Mini as a patrol rifle.

 

[Welding Rod]

I bought a new 580 and right out of the box it had problems with the bolt not releasing after locking open.

The drilling job into the receiver for the bolt lock pin was exceedingly sloppy and rough. Almost looked like the bore had a course thread in it, complete with a large chip from the drilling operation still stuck to its inside. The pin would get jammed in its bore. Even after removing the obvious burrs it would still stick intermittently as the bore was so sloppy the pin would move around enough to get jammed with its own retainer.

No surprise as Ruger build quality and QC has been crap for the last several years. I think Minis are pretty tough by design, but like with any Ruger, I wouldn't trust one a lick until thoroughly going over it to check for manufacturing problems.

 

[X-Rap]

Of the 12 or so mini's that I have owned or had close contact with none of them functioned poorly with factory mags, all of them did with aftermarket mags, none of them would come close off the bench with a bolt or AR.
For me if I can't hold 5 shots into the end of a soda can at 100yds it won't stay in the rack long. Needless to say I have no mini and neither do those close to me.
I question how tough they are or would be in a side by side test with an AK/AR I know that the AR would be the easiest to keep running, at least for me.